Ashrain

35. Hooves' Apple Pie

Seonghwa sat on the ground in the wooden tent the healer of the clan used. She had left them to their work while she gathered herbs outside and Seonghwa had angled his body to the side so his father could access his side with the burn mark. When he had first laid eyes upon it, a deeply troubled frown had settled on his features while Seonghwa's mother gasped indignantly.

"What did those humans do to you?" She whispered while Seonghwa's father retrieved a blade and knelt next to his son. With one hand on his quivering flank to keep him still in the expectation of pain, the older centaur meticulously tended to him. The pattern he shaved was similar to the tattoos decorating his, Yunho's, and all the other warriors' skins. Their swirls and elaborate runes reminded Hongjoong of nature and the flow of the elements.

"It's my fault," Hongjoong whispered as he attended Seonghwa's healing. With the mark on his skin hidden by the pattern, he could deny its existence that bound him to Jongho in an unhealable way.

"It's not his fault," Seonghwa said like an arrow snapping from Wooyoung's bow. Hongjoong shuddered at the reminder of how sharp they were, and how quickly they had taken lives.

Concerned, Seonghwa's mother glanced between the two.

"The house I live in with my brother is owned by a noble elf. As by the system of land ownership, we get to live on his land, and pay him money in return."

Seonghwa's father nodded wisely, ever the businessman. His lips curled in concentration as he worked over Seonghwa's tense leg.

"We don't have a lot of money and are often behind on paying him. It's our fault that we were late with it and he sold Seonghwa to that terrible place that did this to him." Hongjoong hung his head as guilt ate at his heart. Yeosang struck because he knew how important Seonghwa was to them. Rather than about money, his behaviour had concerned his distaste for Mingi and Hongjoong.

Before Seonghwa's father could stare at Hongjoong in disbelief, Seonghwa made a dismissive sound.

"You were only behind on money because I showed up. You had to buy food and medicines for me. What Yeosang did was unforgivable, but don't blame yourself."

Seonghwa's mother placed a compassionate hand on Hongjoong's shoulder. Her touch resembled that of his own mother so much that he bit his lip at the yearning that shot into his heart. He starved for the gentle understanding of a parent more than ever.

"He was also the one who came to save me despite not being able to fight. The prince of his country was a nasty enemy to challenge, but he did it anyway, despite the prospect of getting killed on his way. He's my hero, not the one responsible for my pain."

Hongjoong dug his trembling fingers into his knees. He held back his words, unsure if they would break and with them the dam holding back his tears. Under the scrutiny of Seonghwa's gentle parents and his own faults, Hongjoong nerves laid bare.

But, of course, Seonghwa blocked that terror with warmth and affection.

Seonghwa's mother reached to take Hongjoong's hand in hers. Her fingers pried apart the cramped grip he had on his own skin and held his hand faint like a feather.

Deep breaths filled Hongjoong's lungs as he calmed down. Without a word, Seonghwa's father continued his artwork in Seonghwa's fur while Seonghwa watched him.

"What do you and your brother do, child?"

Thankful for the change of topic, Hongjoong went back into investigation mode. He didn't want to disappoint Seonghwa's parents even under all his honesty. In the best case, they would overlook his faults and let them stay together in peace, but Hongjoong knew Seonghwa cared about their opinion on him. The relationship beyond their races was already peculiar enough to digest.